I’ve seen salads in jars on the internet but I just started making them. My garden is producing beautiful salad greens right now.
I knew my clients would love to look into the fridge and see lovely jars of salad. When you package food in a glass jar, not only does it look pretty but the jars are reusable. The best part is that you pour the dressing over your salad, shake and enjoy.
Here is a lovely window box in my kitchen. I never thought of growing lettuce in the house. It works great.
This week I prepared salad in a jar from my garden beds with lemon cucumbers, roasted cherry tomatoes and served it with a cilantro, pumpkin seed, agave nectar dressing.
My cherry tomatoes were not very sweet and so I roasted them with avocado oil, garlic, fresh thyme and sea salt.
Slow roasting allowed for the moisture to evaporate and the sugars to condense and caramelized on the outside of the tomatoes. I could not stop eating them hot out of the oven. I had to make a second batch.
The tiny roasted tomatoes were very delicate when cooked but firmed up with a rest in the fridge.
Pumpkin Seed, Cilantro and Avocado Oil Dressing
Serves 6
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup avocado oil, canola oil or extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup of washed cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
I prefer to use avocado oil since it holds an emulsion for much longer than canola oil or olive oil. Avocado oil has a great creamy flavor as well.
In a blender or food processor add vinegar, pumpkin seeds, cilantro, agave nectar, sea salt and pepper and pulse until the nuts are ground and the cilantro is chopped up. About 4-5 pulses.
Turn on blender and while it is going add the oil in a stream for about 1 minute.
Chill for about 1 hour for the flavors to meld or you can serve your dressing right away.
